My brother Drake, owner of Mid Central Pest Control in East Dundee, Ill., recently asked me to help train our nephew Eric for a few days. Eric and Drake wanted to feel more comfortable when the time came for Eric to start servicing Mid Central’s clients. Eric and I had a blast. I love my […]
Business
Pest Management Professional magazine offers business advice to industry professionals who run their own businesses. Read advice from industry experts.
Added Value: 4 Ways Referrals Build Business
We know getting referrals is an important step toward growing a business, but have you thought about why it’s the...
Start-Up Diaries: Use Technology to Keep in Touch
I was reading an interesting interview in Sports Illustrated (my second-favorite magazine) a few months ago with the much-maligned commissioner of...
Transition Strategies: Customer Lists and Non-Compete Clauses
Ask any buyer of a pest management company which asset garners the most value yielding the highest price, and the...
Marketing Matters: Selling Value, Growing a Business and Search Engines
Q. I own a small pest control company in a highly competitive market. I continually lose potential customers to low-ballers. Any...
Added Value: Help Customers Visualize Buying Your Product or Service
A pest management professional’s (PMP’s) role during a sale is to help customers visualize buying a product or service. By...
How Fleet Management Software Streamlines Business Processes and Lowers Costs
Fleet management technology uses smartphones, tablets, laptops and desktops to provide vehicle-related data and allows owners to analyze the information...
Added Value: The art of asking successful questions
What questions do you include during your sales appointments? The key to effective questions is to have the right set...
Start-Up Diaries: To Pee, or Not to Pee
You know the look: eyes pinched shut, hand on your stomach, sweat beading off your forehead. Are you nervous because...
Mobile PMP: Driving While inTEXTicated
Distracted driving has been problematic since the dawn of the automobile. Eating, reading maps and morning grooming while driving, all...
Social Success: 7 Steps to Better Twitter Etiquette
Twitter is the second-most popular social media outlet, giving businesses another option for promoting their brands and events. Gaining followers is...
Marketing Matters: Selling Value, Facilitating Growth and Boosting Web Searches
Q. Our company is preparing its advertising budget for 2015. How much should we allocate? A. The short answer is, it...
Off the Cuff: Onward and Upward in 2015
We at Pest Management Professional (PMP) have experienced significant growth the past several years, and we have you to thank...
Mobile Matters: Saying Farewell with a Look to the Future
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been nearly 17 years since I wrote my first column for then-Pest Control magazine....
Make Employees Your No. 1 Market
Marketing isn’t just for attracting and retaining customers. To create a powerful image and value proposition, you must convince your...
Sales & Service: 5 Ways to Combat Complacency
Is your business life everything you’d like it to be? Probably not. It might all come down to a topic...